A cold putter couldn’t keep Gary Nicklaus from advancing to the weekend in the U.S. Senior Open and extending a family gathering here in this famous university town.

Playing in just his fourth event this year since rejoining the professional ranks, Nicklaus birdied his final hole Friday for a one-over 71 at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame to comfortably make the cut at one-under 139. He was tied for 31st place when he holed out from two feet at the ninth, his final hole of the day. The top 60 and ties advance to the weekend.

Gary Nicklaus’ second go at competitive golf took another notable turn when he qualified for the U.S. Senior Open Friday at the Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. The Senior Open begins June 27 at Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

Jack Nicklaus’ son, Gary, whose own son GT was his caddie, birdied the final two holes to post a score of 70 that got him into a three-man playoff for one spot with Lance Ten Broeck and Don Bell. Gary won the playoff on the first extra hole.

A second-round 71 in the books and a weekend spot secured at his first U.S. Senior Open, Gary Nicklaus left the interview area on a blazing-hot Friday afternoon and found his family. That’s when Barbara Nicklaus, genial matriarch of golf’s First Family, started subtly nudging her son toward contention. Now that the pressure was off, she noted, he just might fire a third-round 60 on Saturday.